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Harry Potter

I am a Harry Potter fan. Because of the deluge of HP product that is starting to hit the shelves, I can assume that some of you will succumb to the inevitable and build up a resistance to Potter-mania and become anti-harry potter amidst the backlash this kind of product overload invariably produces. it happened with Episode 1 and it will happen with Harry potter (as well as Lord of The Rings). Unfortunately, many of you will reach this negative sentiment without ever having read the source material. I, too, scoffed at the idea of reading this "children's book" three years ago. My little sister (who was 12 at the time) asked me if I wanted to read it. I politely gave a non comittal "maybe" and the matter was dropped. A few months later, the emminent release of the fourth book piqued my curiosity and I borrowed my sister's copy. To my suprise I couldn't put it down and finished it in 2 days. I quickly borrowed the next two books and finished them just as quickly. When the 4th book was released that summer, I bought 2 copies, one for my sister and one for me.
Now that the film is coming out and Potter-mania is in full swing, I want to know if there are any other fans out there. or anybody who has read the books. If you read them and didn't like them, then I suppose your disdain is justified, but I urge anybody who hasn't read the books and is getting sick of the overwhelming media attention and might be inclined to skip out on all the hooplah to give the books a read. You won't be dissappointed.
After you read them we can discuss the pros and cons of toys and other overwhelming desire to milk a concept dry as fast as possible.

So...who's read them? Who's a fan? Who is already getting sick of Harry Potter without having read a page of the books? I know I would if I hadn't read the books first...Speak up!! How do you feel about Potter-mania?

Sorry, Rollo, it's something I'm completely ambivalent toward. I'm certainly not against anything that gets kids to read (or adults to read, for that matter), but I haven't read any of the books. It's not out of a complete lack of interest or a disdain for kids' books (I recently read CS Lewis' Narnia books for the first time and the Jedi Apprentice series is a longtime favorite of mine), but just have a huge list of books that I want to read first.

As for the movie, well, the trailers and still pics haven't impressed me too much--I'd expected that something this big budget and high profile would have better CG effects. I think it'll be one of those "I'll watch it if people whose opinions I trust completely recommend it, otherwise I'll wait for HBO" movies.

I've actually been thinking about checking them out for some time now. I really like stuff like the CS Lewis Chronicles of Narnia books so I figure Harry Potter would be right up my alley. So would you recommend them to grown-up kids as something worthwhile?

"To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence… When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up." - C.S. Lewis

Yippee! Wizard!

As a substitute teacher last year, I saw many a student carrying the books around and felt I needed to read 'em to understand why. Well, I can tell you I realize now why they're so popular. Kids can dream that they can avoid bullies and awkwardness as Harry does with his magical abilities. He didn't know he was a wizard, so kids might think "maybe I am too." Now that is the very reason adults find the stories "evil" or "corrupting." Harry gets back at those who make fun of/pick on him, instead of turning the other cheek. The excitement and fast pace of the storytelling is awesome. I checked them out of the library and read all four books in 10 days; over 1700 pages!

I tried to read the books, I thought I would enjoy them, But I couldn't I had just had to much other stuff going through my head to concentrate. I may try and read them again if I can find the calm mental state.

But I'll prolly end up watching the movie then reading the books.

As for marketing. I like the new designs of some of the legos and stuff but didn't enjoy the look of the dolls and action figures.

My son likes Harry Potter books,so I'll take him to see the movie. I have never read the books myself,but I do like stories with witches and wizards in them. Who knows if the movie is good maybe I'll check out the books.